Spindle rotating pull means



1966 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 3,287,054

SPINDLE ROTATING PULL MEANS Filed March 23,' 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS F1250 7; RUSSELL.

GEO/26E 3 SOLOl/IEF-F ATTORNEY 22, 1966 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 3,287,054

SPINDLE ROTATING PULL MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 23, 1964 BY Vam 8% NVENTOR. F250 J. ussELL 6502 65 8, SOLOV/EFF ATTQRN E V United States Patent Ofifice 3,287,054 SPINDLE ROTATING PULL MEANS Fred J. Russell, 8635 Otis St., South Gate, Calif., and George B. Solovieff, San Clemente, Calif.; said Solovief't' assignor to said Russell Filed Mar. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 353,741 4 Claims. (Cl. 292-3363) The invention has reference to door locks and, to be more specific, door locks customarily associated with a door where they are provided with a vertical handle and with a thumbpiece for manipulating the latch bolt.

When a thumbpiece is depended upon to manipulate the spindle and latch bolt in this kind of look, some mechanism must be provided for transferring the vertically reciprocating motion of the thumbpiece to the spindle and at the same time converting it to motion capable of rotating the spindle. Mechanisms heretofore employed for this type of lock have been more complicated and costly than current market conditions can tolerate, especially where forms of other types of door locks have been attractively modernized.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved door lock structure in which a spindle is adapted to be rotated by a thumbpiece wherein the motion converting mechanism is'simple in its construction and easy in its operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved lock mechanism wherein the conventional spindle has a mounting such that it can be rotated in the customary fashion by means of an inside rotating knob and which, at will, can also be rotated from the outside by a reciprocating thumbpiece.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved door lock which makes use of a sliding plate to translate movement of one kind taken from a reciprocating thumbpiece to a rotational movement for operating the spindle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved lock mechanism which is simple and compact in its structure and assembly, which is of such character that it can be built relatively inexpensively, and also one which operates freely and easily while atrthe same time being of such design that it remains particularly durable after installation and use for long periods of time.

Also included among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved lock mechanism which makes use of a sliding plate arranged in such fashion that various movements are confined to relatively few pieces, simply constructed and simply mounted, thereby to very greatly simplify and reduce the assortment of parts needed to make a small, compact and especially effective mechamsm.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the door lock mounted in customary fashion upon the outer side of a door.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational View of the outer side of the door lock of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view of the door lock viewed from the rear.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the door lock taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the parts in a second operative position.

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary rear perspective view of important operating portions of the device.

FIGURE 8 is a rear elevational view similar to FIG- URE 3 but showing the parts in a different operative positon.

In an embodiment of the invention which has been selected as a good example of the principle involved, there is shown a door lock indicated generally by the reference character 10 mounted upon a door 11 in such fashion that on the outside of the door there is a vertical handle 12 in association with a thumbpiece 13. On the inside of the door 11 is a rotating knob 14. The thumbpiece 13 and rotating knob 14 serve to manipulate a conventional latch bolt 15 on an edge 16 of the door 11. The vertical handle 12 is applied to an outside face 17 of the door 11 opposite to the inside face 18 of the door 11.

The inside rotating knob 14 is nonrotatably attached to a square tubular spindle 19, and conventional appropriate mechanism (not shown) serves to translate the rotating motion of the spindle 19 to a reciprocating motion of the latch bolt 15, so that it can be withdrawn and released at will.

Although the connection between the knob 14 and the spindle 19 can be direct, an appropriate interconnecting mechanism must be provided in order to translate the tilting movement of the thumbpiece 13 to a movement which rotates the spindle 19. At the same time, it is important that even though the door lock 10 be locked from the outside, prohibiting movement of the thumbpiece 13 from operating the latch bolt 15, the arrangement of parts must remain such that the latch bolt 15 can be withdrawn by rotation of the rotating knob 14 even through the lock 10 might be locked. These problems have been long recognized in the past and have heretofore been solved by the employment of various familiar conventional mechanisms.

In the device here under consideration, virtually all of the operating parts are mounted and contained within a frame 20. The frame 20 in this embodiment consists of a front plate 21, a back plate 22, end plates 23 and 24 and side plates 25 and 26. These plates encompass a chamber 27 in which is located operating parts of the device.

The square tubular spindle 19 has an end 28 rotatably mounted in an appropriate hole 29 in the back plate 22. A disc 30 serving as a crank arm nonrotatably attached to the end 28 is located within the chamber 27. A crank 31 is attached to the perimeter of the disc 30 and is also located within the chamber 27. A solid, small, square locking shaft 3-2 is rotatably mounted inside of the square tubular spindle 19 and serves as a locking shaft. The locking shaft 32 extends inwardly through-the rotating knob 14, where it engages :a turn button 33.

Although the frame 20 up to this point has been described as consisting of the plates 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26, thus creating the chamber 27, another plate element 34 also comprising a portion of the frame 20 is mounted upon the pegs 35, 35' adjacent the inner face of the front plate 21. The plate element 34 is therefore a stationery portion of the frame 20 lying within the chamber 27.

A slide plate 36 has a vertically sliding movement Within the chamber 27 and is guided in part for sliding movement by the presence of shoes 37 which slide upon the inside surface of the back plate 22.

In order to manipulate the slide plate 36, the thumbpiece 13 is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 38 upon a bracket 39 extending outwardly away from the front plate 21 so that a drive portion 40 of the thumbpiece 13 can move up and down in its position within the chamber 27. A slot 42 in the plate element 34 allows the drive portion 40 to move freely. In the slide plate 36 is an opening 41 into which the drive portion 40 extends, and the drive portion 40* bears against the opening 41 Patented Nov. 22, .1966

3 of the slide plate 36 when the thumbpiece 13 is depressed.

When the thumbpiece 13 is depressed, the drive portion 40 is tilted upwardly, and this causes the slide plate 36 to move upwardly. Upward motion is resisted by tension of the spring 43 which is retained by a keeper 44 at the upper end extending from the plate element 34 and by a keeper 45 at the lower end which is an upwardly extending projection from the slide plate 36. These last defined keepers can be readily observed in FIGURE 3.

In order to convey the vertically reciprocating movement of the slide plate 36 to the crank 31, the slide plate 36 is provided with a shoulder 46, as shown in FIGURES 3, 5, and 7. In initial or normal position of the slide plate 36 and shoulder 46, there is space between the shoulder 46 and the crank 31, so that should the crank 31 be rotated by manipulation of the rotating knob 14 in a conventional fashion, there is no impediment to free rotation. Accordingly, the space between the shoulder 46 and the crank 31 is provided, as is also the arcuate space 47 immediately above the shoulder 46 as viewed in FIGURE 3.

For additional guidance in positioning of the slide plate 36, there is provided in the slide plate 36 a vertically elongated opening 50 having on the left side, as viewed in FIGURE 3, an edge 51, below which is another edge 52 which together form a clearance for and a cam track to cooperate with the respective peg 3-5' which lies within the opening 50. The peg 35'thereby serves as a camming means.

From the position and direction of the edge 51, it will be observed that as the slide plate 36 is moved upwardly by manipulation of the thuinbpiece 13, the lower end of the slide plate 63 will move from left toward the right, as viewed in FIGURES 3 and 5, as it is permitted to do by the sloping direction of the edge 51. In this way, the shoulder 46 will be brought into engagement with an adjacent edge of the crank 31 as soon as the slide plate 36 moves upwardly enough to close the initial distance between the shoulder 46 and the crank 31'. Movement toward the right will continue until the engaged edge 51 passes its transverse center line of the peg 35'. Thereafter, as the slide plate36continues to move upwardly, the edge 52 will come to bear against the peg 35"as viewed in FIGURE 5, thus limiting the side-to-side movement of the slide plate 36 until it reaches the position as shown in FIGURE 5. Once engaged, the shoulder 46 is maintained in positive engagement with the crank 31. This movement, in addition to being a vertical movement of the slide plate 36, also is a tilting or pivotable movement of the side plate 36 in a manner such that the lower end of the slide plate 36, as exemplified in part by the shoulder 46, pivots about the drive portion 40 as a center of rotation. Hence, the wall of the slot 41 may be said to constitute a shoulder in the upper end of the slide plate 36 in engagement with the drive portion 40.

When the thumbpiece 13 is released, tension built u in the spring 43 will return the slide plate 36 downwardly. The cam track embodied in the edges 52 and 51 will become ,operative against the peg 35', thus limiting the side-to-side movement of the slide plate 36. The slide plate 36 will move the shoulder 46 to the position of FIGURE 3, where space is left between the shoulder 46 and the crank 31, so that the crank 31 can again be freely rotated by manipulation of the knob 14.

From the foregoing description of parts and their movement, it will be apparent that about the only parts needed to translate a vertical tilting movement of the thumbpiece 13 and drive port-ion 40 to a rotating movement for the spindle 19 is the slide plate 36 pivotally hung upon the drive portion 40 and guided during its movement by engagement between crank 31 and shoulder 46.

While e il Yfillliion has herein been shown and de- 1. A door lock structure including a frame adapted to be mounted on a door, a spindle having a manually actuable handhold thereon, said spindle being rotatably mounted on the stnucture, a crank arm'in nonrotatable engagement with the spindle, a manually actuable thumbpiece pivotally mounted on the frame and a drive portion of said thumbpiece having a path of movement relative to said frame, a slide plate having a vertically movable and laterally yield-able mounting on said frame, a first shoulder on said slide plate in engagement with said drive portion and a second shoulder on said slide plate adjacentsaid crank arm, said second shoulder being vertically and laterally shiftable against said crank arm upon movement of the slide plate in response to movement of the drive portion of the thumbpiece .whereby to rotate said crank arm.

2. A door lock structure including a flame adapted to be mounted on a door, a spindle having a manually actuable handihold thereon, said spindle being rotatably mounted on the structure, a crank arm in nonr-otational engagement with the spindle, said crank arm when rotated being movable between positions of maximum and minimum displacement laterally relative to the center of rotation, a manually actuable thumbpiece pivotally mounted on the frame and a drive portion of said thumbpiece having a path of movement relative to said frame, a slide plate having both a laterally and vertically movable mounting on said frame, a first shoulder on said slide plate having a freely swinging engagement with said drive portion and a second shoulder on said slide plate adjacent said crank arm, the position of said second shoulder being shiftable with the slide plate in response to action of said crank arm to successive positions following a path of movement of said crank arm when said slide plate is in motion.

3. A door lock structure including a frame adapted to be mounted on a door, a spindle rotatably mounted on the structure, a crank arm in nonrotatable engagement with the spindle, said crank arm when rotated being movable between positions of maximum and minimum displacement latenally relative to the center of rotation, a manually actuatable thumbpiece pivotally mounted on the franme, and a drive portion of said thumbpiece having a path of movementrelative to said frame, a slide plate movably mounted on said frame, a first shoulder on said slide plate having a freely swinging engagement with said drive portion and a second shoulder on said slide plate adjacent said crank arm and in an initial position clear of said crank arm whereby to permit con-- ventional rotation of the spindle, the position of said second shoulder being shiftable in response to action of said crank arm when said slide plate is in motion first to a position of initial engagement with said crank arm and then to successive positions following a path of movement of said crank arm.

4. A door lock structure including a frame adapted to be mounted on a door, a spindle rotatably mounted on the structure, a crank arm in nonrotata-ble engagement with the spindle, said crank arm when rotated being movable between positions of maximum and minimum displacement laterally relative to the center of retation, a manually actuatable thumbpiece pivotally mounted on the frame and a drive portion of said thumbpiece havinig a path of movement relative to said frame, a slide plate movably mounted on said frame, a first shoulder on said slide plate having a freely swinging engagement with said drive portion and a second shoulder on said slide plate adjacent sa'idcrank arm and in an initial position clear of said crank arm whereby to permit conventional rotation of the spindle, guide means on said frame, complementary guide means on said slide plate, one of said guide means having a clearance relative to the other at the location of maximum displacement of said crank arm, the position of said second shoulder being shiftable in response to action of said crank arm when said slide plate is in motion first to a position of initial engagement m'th said crank arm and then to successive positions following a path of movement of said crank arm, and a portion of one of said guide means biased in a direction toward a position of vertical alignment with the axis of rotation of said crank arm adapted to shift said second shoulder toward said position of vertical alignment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,266,106 12/1941 Voight et a1 70-153 2,648,969 8/1953 Miller et a1 292 167 X 2,745,132 5/1956 Clark et a1.

2,854,838 10/1958 Foster 70-153 X 10 2,976,072 3/1961 Muttart 292167 X EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner. RICHARD E. MOORE, Examiner. 

1. A DOOR LOCK STRUCTURE INCLUDING A FRAME ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON A DOOR, A SPINDLE HAVING A MANUALLY ACTUABLE HANDHOLD THEREON, SAID SPINDLE BEING ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE STRUCTURE, A CRANK ARM IN NONROTATABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SPINDLE, A MANUALLY ACTUABLE THUMBPIECE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME AND A DIRVE PORTION OF SAID THUMBPIECE HAVING A PATH OF MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME, A SLIDE PLATE HAVING A VERTICALLY MOVABLE AND LATERALLY YIELDABLE MOUNTING ON SAID FRAME, A FIRST SHOULDER ON SAID SLIDE PLATE IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DRIVE PORTION AND A SECOND SHOULDER ON SAID SLIDE PLATE ADJACENT SAID CRANK ARM, SAID SECOND SHOULDER BEING VERTICALLY AND LATERALLY SHIFTABLE AGAINST SAID CRANK ARM UPON MOVEMENT OF THE SLIDE PLATE IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF THE DRIVE PORTION OF THE THUMBPIECE WHEREBY TO ROTATE SAID CRANK ARM. 